Thinking about taking the plunge and starting your own vaulting club? This information will help you get started. And if you have additional questions or would like to be paired with an AVA mentor, please email AVA National Office Manager Craig Coburn.

This chapter is an excerpt from the AVA's Camps and Clubs Manual,
written in 2004 specifically for beginning coaches and clubs. If you
are an AVA member, you may download the complete Camps and Club Manual,
found in the Resources section of the Members Only AVA website.

As with any athletic endeavor, the instructor is responsible
for the safety of the children in the class and for teaching
them the skills required to become proficient in their chosen
sport.

The qualifications of an applicant for camp or club vaulting
instructor, like those for any teaching job, should be carefully
reviewed by the Personnel Director or whoever is in charge
of hiring teachers.

The following qualifications are suggested for a camp or
club vaulting instructor:

The instructor should be a responsible, mature person.

The instructor should relate well to children.

If the children are to enjoy an introduction to
vaulting during their short time at camp, it is imperative
that they have an understanding, effective instructor.

The instructor must be enthusiastic and supportive,
as well as firm and disciplined.

The instructor should have some previous vaulting experience
such as a junior leader or assistant coach with a 4-H
club, United States Pony Club, or vaulting club.

The instructor should have some experience with horses.

A basic knowledge of longeing is helpful to the
non-longeing instructor. A basic knowledge is essential
to the instructor who must also longe during the vaulting
training.

A knowledge of safe and humane horsemanship practices
is required, especially the ability to recognize when
a horse is fatigued, sore, or unsuitable for use as
a vaulting horse.

The instructor need have only an elementary, common
sense knowledge of gymnastics, though a more thorough
knowledge is certainly advantageous.

The instructor should have a basic knowledge of First
Aid for sporting events. The Red Cross offers excellent
courses for this purpose.

Longeur

It is important for the vaulters' safety to always have
a competent and mature longeur work with the horse.

The longeur must be able to effectively control the horse
on the longe line.

He should know how to keep the horse from cutting in,
turning back, stopping without cue, going too fast, and
so forth.

He should be sufficiently skillful with the whip to
be able to maintain a 13 meter circle and, at the same
time, to signal the vaulters to approach the horse.

Since the longeur is usually responsible for a daily checking
of the equipment, he must know the fit, adjustment, and condition
of that equipment intimately. (See Chapter 3, 3.2 Use and
Adjustment of the Equipment.)

Coach-Longeur

It is possible for the job of coach and longeur to be performed
by one person. However, it is not recommended that this division
of attention be required of one person unless both he and
the horse are very experienced, and the class is smaller than
eight vaulters.

For a class of beginners it is especially advantageous to
have two people to supervise the activity.

Spotters

These assistants are a necessary addition to the teaching
staff as they help to maintain the vaulters' safety.

Spotters may be older vaulters who are capable of accepting
the responsibility or parents who are capable of running with
the horse.

It is suggested that spotters be used whenever vaulters
are performing a new exercise.

For detailed information on the use of spotters, refer to
Chapter 4, 4.3 Vaulting on the Horse.

The Horse
(See Chapter 3, Selecting and Training the Vaulting Horse.)

1.2 Facilities

Level Area

A level area with a suitable surface is a must for both
horse and vaulters.

This area must be large enough for the vaulting circle.

The vaulting arena should not be smaller than 20 meters
(66 feet) in diameter, thereby providing enough room for
both horse and vaulters.

Working the horse on a 15 meter longe circle allows
for the best control and safety.

Too large a circle lessens control.

Too small a circle is very fatiguing for the horse
and can cause him to stumble.

The area used for vaulting does not need to be fenced.
However, if it is fenced, it must be of hazard-free
material. Maintain the longeing circle a safe distance
from any fencing.

Footing

Proper footing is of paramount importance for the safety
of the vaulters and the soundness of the horse.

Footing on the vaulting circle should be soft and sufficiently
springy to cushion the shock of landing without being slick
or deep.

The area should be checked to make sure the footing is completely
free of rocks, sticks, glass, wire, or other dangerous objects,
and free of holes.

Shavings, sand, rice hulls, or a mixture of these mediums
are all suitable footing materials.

1.3 The Vaulting Barrel

Uses of a Vaulting Barrel

It can serve as a surrogate horse for groups starting without
a horse.

It can save the horse from over-use by providing another
means for vaulters to practice.

It can save time as vaulters continue their lesson on the
barrel during the horse's warm-up and rest periods, and during
other vaulters' turns on the horse.

It can help vaulters gain confidence since they can master
the exercises on a stationary object before trying them on
a moving horse.

It can be used indoors during bad weather so that the vaulting
lessons need not be canceled when the horse cannot be worked.

It can be used by vaulters who are composing freestyles
(kYrs) and want to experiment with different combinations
of exercises.

Construction of Barrel

A vaulting barrel can be constructed from two 55-gallon
oil drums mounted on legs. (See Appendix for diagrams of construction.
Information is also available on the AVA website at www.americanvaulting.org.)
Barrels may also be designed from plywood and one-by-fours.

The barrel must be solid enough so that it will not tip
over when vaulters pull on the handles.

The barrel must be well padded and the handles wrapped with
tape. Sharp edges, rough spots, or protruding barrel legs
are a danger to the vaulters and must be avoided.

When a vaulter can jump down from a stand on the horse comfortably
and land properly, he is probably ready to graduate to vaulting
shoes. (See list of suppliers in Appendix.)

Vaulting shoes do not give the vaulter much protection
or support.

However, because they are lightweight and have good
traction, they make it easier to perform the exercises.

If ankle support is needed, use tape or an elastic bandage.

Clothes

Vaulters should wear clothes that allow them to stretch
easily and yet are not so loose as to catch on the surcingle
or on another vaulter.

Gymnastic unitards are most often worn by vaulters because
they are functional and comfortable.

Other possibilities include shorts, sweat pants which are
tight around the ankles, leotards or riding breeches made
of a stretch fabric. Tops must be long enough to tuck into
pants.

No jewelry should be worn while vaulting. Hair should be
tied back.

Uniforms

Only if a team is formed and wants to compete or give demonstrations
are uniforms a necessity.

If the team wants to have matching unitards, they can be
ordered from suppliers. (See Appendix.) The beginning team
may consider dance or exercise wear available at any sporting
goods store or most department store chains. The combination
of a simple leotard with lycra exercise pants will provide
the uniformity desired.

Uniforms for teams have also been made very nicely from
fabrics with three-way stretch and the efforts of willing
parents.

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Vaulting Association. The American Vaulting Association makes no representations
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provided for use "as is."

The American Vaulting Association disclaims all warranties, express
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completeness of all information, opinions, and other material in this
book. First Edition, 1981 Revised Edition, 2004